Nationals
by Riana Salvatore
Summary: The Songbirds and New Directions have both made it to Nationals, who will win? The conclusion to Can't Stop Singing and Sing It Loud.


"Good morning everyone, and welcome to ESPN2 for the National Show Choir Competition." A black man with a shaved head said. "I'm Mike Wilbon. Tony, how did we get charge of this?"

"I'm Tony Kornheiser." A white man with visible balding replied. "We're the top rated show on ESPN, so they felt they had to use us."

"Okay, but how did show choir get on the network in the first place?" Wilbon questioned.

"Well it is the _Entertainment _and Sports Programming Network." Kornheiser pointed out. "So let's talk about the competition. The favorite is obviously William McKinley High's New Directions. This is a great story: a team that got disbanded only to make it right where they left off. You gotta hand it to their director, Quinn Puckerman."

"Now hold on, Tony," Wilbon disagreed. "I wouldn't call them the best story. I think that belongs to the rising stars, Dalton Academy's The Songbirds. They not only got disbanded, but were banned from competing due to a steroid scandal. Not to mention, this year in their first year of being a coed school, they've have one member miss a competition because she was in a coma and just days ago lost their strongest male singer and still made it to Nationals for the first time."

"So, who ya got?" Kornheiser asked.

"I think I gotta go with The Songbirds." Wilbon replied.

"Well you'll get to see what they have because they're up first." Kornheiser replied. "Let's turn to the stage."

The camera moved to the stage where the curtain opened to reveal Emerson, Cori, Chace, and Addie. The girls wore red dresses with rhinestones on the bodices and the guys wore white dress shirts with black vests and pants and red ties. The music began and Emerson started to sing.

_I thought things couldn't get much worse but guess what they did_

Then Cori came in,

**You hit my heart upside with a wrecking ball oh but that's what I get**

Chace then took over.

_But I'm not going nowhere I can on my prayers_

Addie started singing from that point.

**Cause I'm done playing nice, I'm done running for life cause you think that got me scared**

_**This time it's goodbye trouble, I'll be the light at the end of this tunnel  
I get stronger with every step  
Come hell, come high water if you push on me I'm gonna push back harder  
I got a whole lot more than a little bit left, oh so don't put on grave just yet  
No don't dirt on my grave just yet**_

The four of them then went in the same order.

_Well it's gonna take more gonna take more _**gonna take more to pull me under  
**_Gonna take gonna take more gonna take more than that _**to pull me under **

_**This time it's goodbye trouble, I'll be the light at the end of this tunnel  
I get stronger with every step  
Come hell, come high water if you push on me I'm gonna push back harder  
I got a whole lot more than a little bit left, oh so don't put on grave just yet  
No don't dirt on my grave just yet, don't put dirt on my grave just yet**_

"Well that was a statement." Kornheiser commented.

"The Songbirds are here to play." Wilbon agreed.

At that point, Jacobi, Milla, and Katie took the stage. The song opened with the other girls singing backup.

_If your lips are movin', if your love are movin' then you lie, lie, lie baby  
If your lips are movin', if your love are movin' then you lie, lie, lie baby_

Jacobi then started rapping.

_Boy look at me in my face, tell me that you're not just about this bass  
You really think I could be replaced nah I come from outer space  
And I'm a classy girl, I'm gonna hold it up, you full of something but it aint love  
What we got it's straight overdue go find somebody new_

Milla then began to sing.

_You can buy me diamond earrings and deny-ny-ny ny-ny-ny deny-ny-ny  
But I smell her on your collar so goodbye-bye-bye bye-bye-bye _

Katie then began the chorus.

**I know you're lying cause you're lips are movin' tell me do you think I'm dumb  
I may young but I aint stupid talking round in circles with your tongue  
I give you bass you me sweet talk saying I'm your number one  
But I know you're lying cause your lips are movin' baby don't you know I'm done **

_If your lips are movin', if your love are movin' then you lie, lie, lie baby  
If your lips are movin', if your love are movin' then you lie, lie, lie baby_

_You can buy me diamond earrings and deny-ny-ny ny-ny-ny deny-ny-ny  
But I smell her on your collar so goodbye-bye-bye bye-bye-bye _

"Alright now I wanna hear you sing it with me." Katie declared. "Here we go."

_**I know you're lying cause you're lips are movin' tell me do you think I'm dumb  
I may young but I aint stupid talking round in circles with your tongue  
I give you bass you me sweet talk saying I'm your number one  
But I know you're lying cause your lips are movin' baby don't you know I'm done **_

For the last song, Jasmine, Mustafa, Aria and Justin took the stage.

_need another story, something to get off my chest  
My life gets kind of boring, need something I can confess  
Till all my sleeves are stained, from all the truth that I've said  
Come by it honestly I swear, thought you saw me wink no  
I've by on the brink so_

_Tell me what you to hear, something that'll light those ears  
I'm sickened by the insincere I'm gonna give all my secrets away  
This time, don't need another perfect line  
Don't care if critics ever jump in live I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_Got no reasons, got no shame, got no family I can blame  
Just don't let me disappear I'm gonna tell you everything_

_Tell me what you to hear, Something that'll light those ears  
I'm sickened by the insincere I'm gonna give all my secrets away  
This time, don't need another perfect line  
Don't care if critics ever jump in live I'm gonna give all my secrets away  
All my secrets away All my secrets away_

"So it looks like the Songbirds set the bar for the competition." Tony commented.

"Yeah, it's going to be interesting to see how everyone else responds." Wilbon agreed. "I'm definitely going to stand by my pick of them winning."

Several hours later, there was only one performance left: New Directions. The show had just returned from a commercial break and went back to the commentators.

"So it looks like we're down to our last group, Mike." Kornheiser replied. "Do you still think that The Songbirds are the ones to beat?"

"Yeah, especially after that dreadful performance Hozier's 'Take Me To Church'" Wilbon replied. "If anyone can change my mind, it'll probably be New Directions."

"I don't think it was a very good to begin with. Well New Directions is about to take the stage." Kornheiser remarked. "Let's watch."

The curtain opened with Stevie on the stage. He was wearing a tuxedo.

_When we fighting in the streets with our children and our feet  
When tomorrow's the day worship we'll be gone  
And the man who spurred us on, setting judgment of our own  
Laid aside and the shotgun sings the song_

_I tip my hat to the new constitution, take a bow for the new revolution  
Smile and grin at the change all around pick up my guitar and play  
Just like yesterday and I get on my knees and pray  
We don't get fooled again_

_And nothing in the street looks any different to me  
And the slogans are of face of pride oh pride  
And the partying on the left is now partying on the right  
And the fields of gold no longer hold the night_

_I tip my hat to the new constitution, take a bow for the new revolution  
Smile and grin at the change all around pick up my guitar and play  
Just like yesterday and I get on my knees and pray  
We don't get fooled again_

_Meet the new boss, same as the old boss _

Stacey then walked onto the stage. She wore a black evening gown.

_What would you do if I sang out of tune  
Would you stand up and walk out on me  
Lend me your eyes and I'll sing you a song  
I will try not to sing out of key_

_I get by with a little help from my friends  
I get high with a little help from my friends  
I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends  
I get high with a little help from my friends_

_Do you need anybody I need someone to love  
Could it be anybody All I need is someone to love _

_Baby, I get by with a little help from my friends  
I get high with a help from my friends  
I'm gonna try with a help from my friends  
I get high with a little from my friends_

_Would you believe in a love at first sight, I'm certain it happens all the time  
What do you see when you turn out the light, I can't tell you but it sure feels like mine_

_I get by with a little help from my friends  
I get high with a help from my friends  
I'm gonna try with a help from my friends  
I get high with a little from my friends_

"So far it looks like New Directions is kicking it old school." Kornheiser replied much to Wilbon's chagrin.

"Don't say that." Wilbon chided him. "I may have to change my pick based on what this final song is."

The camera went back to the stage Ashley came out with a single electric guitar behind her. Like Stacey, she had a black evening gown.

_There is a house in New Orleans  
They call the rising sun  
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy  
And God I know I'm one _

_My mother was a tailor  
Sewed my new blue jeans  
My father was a gambling man  
Down in New Orleans_

_Now the only thing a gambler needs  
Is a suitcase and trunk  
And the only time he's satisfied  
Is when he's on a drug _

_Oh mother tell your children  
Not to do what I have done  
Spend your life in sin and misery  
In the house of the rising sun _

_Well I've got one foot on the platform  
The other foot on the train  
I'm going back to New Orleans  
To wear that ball and chain_

_Well there is a house in New Orleans  
They call the rising sun  
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy  
And God I know I'm one _

_And God I know I'm one  
And God I know I'm one_

"Wow." Wilbon declared. "That was amazing. I don't know who this kid is, but she's a star in the making."

"That would be Ashley Puckerman, sister-in-law of the director." Kornheiser explained. "So, are you still backing The Songbirds?"

"Yeah, I think that was the best song of the competition, but The Songbirds had an overall stronger performance." Wilbon opined.

"Well, we'll just have to see what the judges think." Kornheiser replied.

After about half an hour, the judges had made their decision.

"Alright, Tony, this is it." Wilbon replied. "So let me ask you. Who do you got?"

"I think it's going to be New Directions." He responded. "I think the judges will appreciate the older songs that they know better."

"Well it's time for the moment that you've all been waiting for." Wilbon remarked.

The camera panned to the stage where the head judge, John Elway, had the envelope.

"The winner of this year's National Show Choir competition is…" He started. "From Dalton Academy: The Songbirds."

The Songbirds jumped for joy as confetti rained down on them.

So I decided that since all of the storylines were wrapped up, the competition was the storyline. The commentators are Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser from Pardon The Interruption. The songs are "Don't Put Dirt on My Grave Just Yet" by Hayden Panettiere and Will Chase, "Lips Are Movin" by Meghan Trainor, "Secrets" by OneRepublic, "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who, "With a Little Help From My Friends" by The Beatles (Joe Cocker version), and "House of the Rising Sun" by Unknown (The Animals Version).


End file.
